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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 3 Hansard (10 April) . . Page.. 869 ..

MR WOOD (12.29): Mr Speaker, I came to this committee late in its deliberations, to replace Rosemary Follett. I was impressed by the thoroughness of the committee's review of the situation, as I was by the importance of the subject matter. In a sense, the question is still open. It is now a task of government to develop guidelines. We have looked at the issue. There are reports still coming out. There is still activity in other States, New Zealand and elsewhere on which we should draw as guidelines are developed. Ultimately, it is then for the Assembly to decide just what guidelines ought to be placed into position.

There are times when members or Ministers, in the course of their duties as members or Ministers, may need to have recourse to legal assistance. I do not expect that the circumstances would occur very often. I believe that Ministers and members in this Assembly are generally very responsible, but we cannot always be sure of what events might come upon us from outside. I have heard recently of some circumstances in the Northern Territory where Ministers are using their position to gain legal assistance to launch defamation suits. I want to have a further look at that, but I do not believe that is an appropriate use of legal assistance. I recall from my time in Queensland the Queensland Premier engaging in very considerable intimidation of members in the Assembly and of people beyond the parliament by undertaking suits against them. Subsequently, when he was thoroughly discredited, those suits could not be continued; but they caused considerable distress to a quite large number of people for some years. They were used as a deliberate tactic.

I came to this inquiry late. It has sparked my interest and I intend to continue to look at some aspects of this matter so that, when it does emerge again in the Assembly, I can speak with some further knowledge.

Debate (on motion by Mr Humphries) adjourned.

QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

MR WHITECROSS: My question without notice is to Mr Kaine in his capacity as Minister for Urban Services. Minister, I hesitate to ask this question, given what happened to the last person you swore your undying respect and loyalty for; but will you publicly state that the acting chief executive of ACTION, Allan Eggins, enjoys your full and unequivocal support, or will he too find himself hanging out a window or otherwise agreeing to resign as a result of a management restructure?

MR KAINE: Mr Speaker, this is another one of those offensive questions that seek to impugn my integrity and put questions about the professionalism of a public servant. If you have any reason to suspect that I intend to hang Mr Eggins out to dry, why do you not put it on the table, instead of coming in here with these snide questions that merely demonstrate how sleazy the Labor Party in this - - -

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